New Scientist


What primates tell us about the evolutionary origins of keeping pets

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Keeping pets seems to be fairly recent behaviour in the timeline of human evolution. Columnist Michael Marshall turns to the latest research on primates to understand how long we’ve had the impulse to adopt furry friends


The shock revelation that light bulbs are wrecking your metabolism

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Since the 2000s, our light exposure has changed drastically as we make our buildings more energy-efficient. Now, we’re discovering how this may mess with our mitochondria, contributing to diabetes, dementia and more


Your running style changes when you’re short of sleep

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000

There are measurable changes in the way we run when we are short of sleep, which give us a clearer picture of how a lack of shut-eye affects our risk of injury


Earth extremophile can grow in near-Mars-like conditions

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

A salt-loving microorganism found in places like the Dead Sea can not just survive but actively grow in conditions close to those that may be found just under the Martian surface


Quantum voting could make elections more secure

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

In an election, how can you make sure that everyone's votes are counted but also kept entirely secret? Quantum mechanics may have the answer


Postbiotic supplement boosts body’s own GLP-1 and weight loss

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:05:45 +0000

A small trial suggests a supplement containing dead bacteria could offer a cheaper alternative to weight-loss drugs such as semaglutide, but further evidence is needed


SpaceX crash site on moon revealed by South Korean orbiter

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:04:40 +0000

An out-of-control SpaceX rocket that crashed into the moon earlier this week did, in fact, leave an impact crater, according to images from a Korea AeroSpace Administration lunar orbiter that caught before-and-after photographs


Could geoengineering ‘ice arches’ help preserve Arctic sea ice?

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Researchers are investigating whether artificially thickening ice blockages between Canada and Greenland could prevent huge amounts of sea ice from flowing south to melt


Drought and heat push Europe’s power grid to breaking point

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:52:11 +0000

High temperatures and low water levels have forced several countries to shut down nuclear reactors just as citizens turn up their air conditioning, forcing energy prices to spike and raising the threat of blackouts


A mathematical measure of surprise explains why we fall for clickbait

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Why are we so susceptible to clickbait? Columnist Jacob Aron traces it to a surprising source: a mathematical framework that paved the way for much of how the modern world works